Magnetic clutch.



A. T. COLLIER.

MAGNETIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. T. COLLIER MAGNETIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MW. 7, 1912.

1,077,805, Patented Nov. 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Waive fig-g erases @TENT onion.

ARTHUE THOIKEi -hi i'iGLI-illit, GE ST. ALBANS. ENGLIsfiD, A$SIGNOB 0F ONE-THIRD JAMES EANGHBFIELD, 0? LONDON, ENGLAND.

Messianic oriorcst.

menses.

To all whom, it may concern:

Bait known that l, An'rnon THOMAS Con- LIER, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, residing at St. Albans, in the county of Hertford, England, have invent-ed new and useful Improvements Relating to Magnetic Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This clutches.-

According to the said invention, one member of the clutch consists of an electromagnet of any suitable form preferably provided with concentrically arranged. pole pieces. 'The other member of the clutch consists of a carrier wherein a number of armaturs of small mass are arranged transinvention relates to magnetic .versely to the direction of motion of the polar surfaces of the clectromagnet, the armatures being connected to the carrier in such a manner as to permit suilicicnt' relative motion to enable them to more into and out of contact with the nol'ar surfaces of the electromagnet or to enable the pressure with which said arinatures bear against said polar surfaces to be varied. The said arinatures may be made in the form of bars or of pieces of suitable sheet iron arranged to fit loosely in radial slots in said carrier, in such a manner that their edges bear against the polar surfaces of the electromagnet and complete the magnetic circuit thereof.

By constructing the clutch according to the sald invention, it is extremely sensitive, firstly by reason or the low nertia of the relatively movable armatures, whereby they are rendered capable of movnigquickly lo- Ward and away from the elcctroinagnct, and secondly by reason of the narrowncss of the. surfaces of the said armaturcs. whereby the adhesion which is caused by the expulsion of the air from. between the surfaces in contactis reduced to a. minimum.

In thev accompanying drawings, it is shown how the said invention, may be conveniently and advantageously carried. into practice.

In these drawings: Figure l is a side ele- 'vation, and Fig. 2 a partial longitudinal section on the line X, K, Fig. 1, showing one form of the improved clutch l ig. 3 is a face View and Fig. 4: a transverse section,

illustrating" the construction of the electromagnet core. Figs. 5 and 6 showsdetads of constructionof the armatures and of the r Specification of Letters E'aten't.

Patented Nov. 4, 19,13.

signification sac nominee 7, 1912. Serial 1%. 730,038.

seats in thecarrier. Fig.6 is a similar view to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification Fig. 7 is a radial section of a modified "form of the improved clutch, and Fig. 8 is a face view of the electromagnet thereof looking on to the polar faces. Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views to Figs. 7 and 8 respectively and Fig. 11 a section on the line Y, Y, Fig. 9, showing a modified form of electromagnet.

0; and?) are the shafts to be coupled.

In the clutch shown in Figs. '1 to 6, the.

electromagnet is madewitlrits core formed from rings a, c of suitable soft iron, which are provided with inwardly-extending teeth at, (Z Fig. 3. These teeth are bent at right angles, as shown in Fig. 4;, and the rings 0, c are brought together in pairs, so that the bent teeth overlap, as shown in Fig. 2. In this'mann'er, a core is built up of the desired cross-sectional area, the outer edges of the rings 0, c forming the annular polepieces. lfdesirod, the said rings can be each provided with a radial slot to prevent the formation of eddy currents therein during variations in the strength of the inagnctic tield. The said rings are supported, for example, by a wooden core. a and clalnpingdisks f, 7" which are drawn together by bolts (7, 9 and of which one (f) is mounted 'on'a hub h keyed to the shaft (1. in the magnet core so formed is wound a coil j. of suitably insulatcdwire.

The other member of the clutch comprises an annular carrier .Zc supported by means of arms Z." on a hub to keyed to the shaft Z). The carrier 76 is provided on its inner periphery with guide-teeth n, a between which slide the armatures 0, 0 formed of bars otsuitablo sot't iron. Those armaturcs are retained in the slots between the teeth a, a by means of pinsj), 79 secured to the carrier 71: and fitting loosely in holes q, q in the armatures 0, 0. The Armaturcs 0, 0 are held in contact with the annular polcpie ces c, c by moans of spiral springs r, 7* encircling the annular series of armatures, as shown in Fig. 2. These springs more or less counterbalance the centrifugal force exerted by said iii-matures. duringthe rotation of the clutch. The current supplied to the electro magnet-coil j of said clutch is preferably made variable by connect-lugs suitable rheostat in series therewith, so as to enable the clutch-membersto be drawn together with an glreiretl tome. By this {9232? the clutch-members can be allowed to slip relatively to each other to any desired extent.

If desired, moreover, the magnetic clutch may be combined with a claw, dog-, or other positive clutch, Which may be thrown into engagement when the shafts a, Z) are running zit-the same velocity, whereupon the electro-inagnetmay be deenergized and unnecessary consumption of currentavoided. T his arrangement is shown in Fig. 6 -Wherein the hub 71 of the electroinsgnet is provicled with a series of holes 1, 1 so as to form one member of a dog-clutch, the other member of which consists oi :1 corresponding series of dogs or bolts 2, 2, sliding in holes in the hub m of the carrier 70 and mounted on a sleeve 3 thatis movable along the shaft 6, by means of a forked lerer 4 engaging a groove 5 in said sleeve in a Well-known manner. i y

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the electroinagnet is formed by a seriesof radially arrenged and suitably insulated plates or bars 8, .9 secured in position in a ring 5 mounted on ahub such h by means of an encircling band M. In thiscase, the polar surfaces lie in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the clutch and the radially arranged armatures 0', 0, are pivotally supported at their outer ends in a channel Z? in the carrier 70 which is provided with guide-teeth n in a similar manner to the carrierfc, l to 6. By this means the centrifugal force acts on the groove 4; and has practically no eiiect'on the movement of the illilltil'lllBS o, 0, toward and away from the poles of the electroniognet. If de sired the armatures can be arranged with their longitudinal axes inclined at such 40 angles to the axis of the clutch that the centrifugal forces assist or ,resist the ottractive force of the electroinagnet.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the electromegnet core-plates are Wedge-shaped and are made in two series 8, sflnested one in the other, the plates of one series being staggered. relatively to those in the other series. The plates 8, s can be secured in position by ineans of band 24 or in any other suitable manner. Bythis means, more uniform polar surfaces can be obtained on which the rim-natures bear.

he clutch can be arranged to run in an oil-bath or in a. Water-trough, the electromagnet coil being suitably protected from the action of the liquid; or the electromagnet or the armaturecerrier or both can be provided with Water jackets in order to prevent rise. of tempe ature during use.

instead of using an eleet-roniagnet with a laminated iron system above mentioned, it is suiliciel'it in many cases to employ an electroinagnet with its core and pole-pieces formed of solid or unleminated metal.

Th corner or the part thereof adjacent l "manner that the dri'vin menses to the arinatures, may moreover be made of an electric insulator, such as "vulcanized fibeig'for example, when it is desired to sup ply the clutch-magnet with an intermittent or undulatory electric-current.

The polar feces of the electromagnet, and therefore also the movable armatures, may also be arranged on one or more conicalsun faces; or they may be arranged on the inside of cylindrical surfaces.

if desired, the driving faces of the slots may be cut away or recessed attheir inner ends so that both surfaces 2. slot faces and armatureiaces) engage with each other over th Ir Whole area and thus prevent the formation of ridges by Wear. Moreover, the surfaces of the arniatures in contact with the polar feces of the ele ctroinegnet can be suitably hardened to reduce Ween I claim: 7

1. A magnetic clutch, one member of which comprises an electromagnet havingconcentric pole-pieces arranged on the surface of e figure of revolution, and the other member of which comprises a carrier and 0 a plurality of narrow armaturebsrs mow ably supported by said carrier with their longitudinal lyingrtransversely to the direction of motion of the polar faces of the clectromagnet, each of said armutures being 95 adapted to come into contact with both poles of the electromagnet.

2. A magnetic clutch, one member of which comprises an electromagnet having; its polepieces arranged on the surface no a figure of revolution the other member of which comprises a carrier, and a plurality of arnniture-hars movably supported by said carrier with their longitudinal axes lying transversely to the direction of motion 10, of the polar faces of the electroniag net each arineturebar having" surfaces adopted to come into direct Contact vwith both the pole-pieces of the electromagnet, such a force is rens- 11-" mit-ted from one member of 'the clinch to the other through said surfaces.

3. A. magnetic clutch, one member which comprises an eleotroniegnet havi' 1, its pole-pieces arranged on the surface a figure ofrcvolution, and the other in" her of which. comprises a carrier, provided with guideteeth, and 2. plurality of 3111K". tore-bars slidable in the spec es bet-ween. ssicl. guide-teeth toward and swayirozo the pole- 12 5; pieces of said electromagnet.

4. A magnetic clutch one nt-amber of which comprises an electromegnet havingits pole-pieces arranged. on the surface of a figure of revolution, and-the other niezn- If??? her of which comprises acorrier, a plurality of armature-hers arranged with their longitudinal axes transverse to the direction of motion of the polar faces of said e magnet and pins engaging with slots nmzeee supportingsaid armature-bars on saii sarbe movable onward and away STA magnetic clutch 0116 member of: which cempg ises an electromagnet having; its polemiecewm anged on the surface 03 a figure of rrevolutiorngnd the ethermember of which comprises a carrier, mlity of nmnnmres of smail mass "lnountefl. on said carrier 50 es te he movable toward and away from the pble-pieces o f said elec' tromagnet. and a spring adapted to hold. sai filmfltfiTGS against the polar surfaces of the electron'xagnet.

6. A magnetic clutch, one member or which comprises an eleetromagneg, having its iron-system formed of a. pfiurality of sheet-iron rings, the nuts peripheries of whlch are arranged. to form pole-pleces 10 outed on the surface of a figure of revoiw tion and the inner peripheries of whieh are former with teeth bent suhs;&nt-ie11y at right angles, the lie-ether, each. wing being bent in a directien to overlap the nerve spending teeth on rings fanning 'izhe eppeslte pole-ple'ce, the Other member saw. clutch compmslng a, Carmen and a phawehty of armatures of smell mess mounteclin said carrier 90 as to he mevrbble into contact with the poleqiieces of silk} eleetmmagnet.

'7. A ln g'netie clue sh one member 0% which comprisies an eleetmmegnet having its pole-pieces am'anged enthe surface 9%? a figure of evolution, and the ether me1nher ofwhich cen'lprises :3 carrier, and e pluapinm'iity 0i fllIHEit-UIQS pi'vo'cafiy mounteiien said earner so to be each l'neva'hle inte contact wlih both of the pole-pieces of said eiectmnmgnet.

8, A Ina-gimme clutch, ene member G1" which comprises an electrol'nagnei; having ahmnnatecl core anli poles, the pole-pleees being arranged on the surface of a figure of ni m haii0n, and the other lnemhez of which cel'nprises a carrier, gnidwi eeih 0'11;

said senior, and :i, plurality of meannemares siidabiein the spaces between said teeth mn ar and away from the pehas: faces 0:? said eleetmnmgnet.

9. The combination of an eieetronmgnet heving pole-pieees armnge 0n the surface of a figure of revolutin-n and forming one member ef\a clutch e carrier and a pinrality of narrow armetnye'bars which are Inn-vainly supperteli by said carrier with:

their longitudinal axes Eyingtransverseiy tn the direefien 0f mafia-n of the polar faces 02 said; eiectremagnet and are adapted as move into Contact with 30th. polesoi the eiectwmagnet, such earlierand armature fern'nng; the oaher member ef the clutch, and a diegmlntsh eombine with, said ales remagnei; and carrier ani adapfedi to connreti sa'l electrmnngnez we said aimm tune-carrier pesitively together.

ARTE-E U 

